04-26-2010 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, April 26, 2010 • i 7:00 o'clock p.m. (7. ORONO 2010 -2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, Continued) Gaffron stated at the time Steve Grittman and Staff attempted to identify the most appropriate properties for mixed use, they looked at vacant properties, under- utilized properties, commercial properties that were ready for redevelopment, and stayed away from residential properties, although a few are included. The majority of the parcels are zoned commercial currently. Staff chose not to designate a mixed use overlay in the crossroads area other than the Snyder's property. Staff also looked at properties that abutted Shadywood Road and Shoreline Drive. When you take all those factors together, along with the topography and wetlands, the City had the option to reguide the entire area between the trail all the way down to the lake but chose not to do that. One of the reasons for not taking the neighborhood to the north is that right now it provides some of the most affordable housing in the City, which the City would be well served to try to maintain it. Gaffron stated the City Council has the option to amend the Comprehensive Plan and could expand or contract it. Murphy stated personally the whole Comprehensive Plan process has been a series of frustrations and learning process. Murphy noted the City is approximately one year late in submitting their Comprehensive Plan. Staff has worked very hard on this and has attempted to resolve the issues with the Metropolitan Council. The City has to take this whole exercise very seriously, which was the reason why a consultant was hired. Murphy stated in his opinion the plan should be approved and submitted to the Metropolitan Council, which will allow the City to get more serious about the different aspects of it. • Murphy commented the traffic on the corner by Lunds is terrible. The City Council has attempted at least three times to come up with an overall plan for the Navarre area but that the City needs to get serious about addressing these issues. Murphy pointed -out the City Council has the ability to make appropriate changes that comply with the requirements of the Metropolitan Council. Murphy indicated he is reluctant to eliminate certain parcels and would be in favor of approving the Comprehensive Plan as is. Bremer indicated she is fine with removing that one parcel if Staff feels the Comprehensive Plan will be approved without it. Murphy commented that could be said about every other piece of the Comprehensive Plan except for perhaps Parcel 3. Gaffron distributed an analysis regarding the requests received. Gaffron noted it includes the landfill property at higher density, removal of the fire station site, addition of the Klingelhutz site and removal of the Mud/bowling site. At that proposed mixed, the City's density would end up going from 3.68 to 3.39 units per acre, which is still sellable to Metropolitan Council. The elimination of one or two parcels is not going to change the plan significantly. Gaffron noted the most drastic change would be to remove the fire station site from the high density but that removal of one or two of the other individual sites would not have much consequence. White stated the good news is that the City is in tough economic times, which means that development has slowed down considerably and that it is not extremely likely a developer will come along. White commented that a lot of things have to happen first in order for other things to follow. White noted that there are also developments within the City that cannot go forward because the plan is not adopted. If the • plan is not adopted, it will hurt the residents who need sewer. Page 9of15